MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama softball freshman catcher Aly Smith recently sat down with USAJaguars.com to discuss where she feels that she has improved the most since the fall, what she feels is a strength that she brings to the team and what it means to her to be a Jaguar, among other topics.

Smith arrived at South Alabama after lettering four seasons at Smiths High School in Smiths Station, Ala.  She ended her prep career ranked in career and single-season categories in the Alabama High School Athletic Association record book: .460 batting average (career), 34 home runs (career) and 11 home runs (single-season).  Smith also recorded 199 hits during her career with the Panthers and as a senior, posted a .434 batting average, a .500 on-base percentage, a .947 slugging percentage and 11 home runs.  Smith also registered 30 RBI in 31 games during the season and was an honorable mention all-state selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.  Smith has also played club ball for both the Mobile Thrillers based out of Mobile, Ala., and the Marucci Patriots based out of Baton Rouge, La.  While with the Thrillers, she helped the club win the Hall of Fame 16U tournament in Oklahoma.  Smith also led the Patriots to a runner-up finish in the 18U Gold ASA tournament in Oregon and a top 10 finish at another tournament in Boulder, Colo.

What kind of an impact do you hope to make on the team this season?
"I hope to make a positive impact and really be the team player that our team needs and just help out in any way possible on or off the field."

What was the biggest thing you learned this fall that you will take with you heading into the spring?
"I think it's just the mental aspect of everything.  There's a point between over-thinking and not thinking and you have to find that middle ground.  That's a very challenging task, but it's something I've been working on a lot this fall.  I'm definitely going to try to keep improving on that."

Where do you feel that you have improved the most since the start of the fall?
"I think my catching aspect has improved a lot.  My receiving has gotten a lot better working with coach [Becky] Clark and the rest of her staff.  They've all been very helpful this fall in helping me work on my receiving, blocking and throwing down and that's helped out a lot."

What do you feel is a strength that you bring to the team and why?
"I think I'm very level-headed.  When things go wrong, I'm not the type of person to slump down or anything like that.  I'm pretty consistent with my attitude.  I'm always there for my teammates whether things are going good or bad.  I feel I'm a good grounded person for the team."

Other than the on-the-field adjustments, how has the adjustment to college life gone for you?
"It honestly hasn't been that difficult of an adjustment, I took a lot of AP [Advanced Placement] courses in high school.  The classes I'm taking now have been difficult, but they aren't anything that I haven't experienced before besides the whole college aspect of life.  It's been a good challenge with the new environment, but those are things you always have to learn about.  It's been a pretty good experience so far."

Is there a teammate of yours who you look up to?   
"I think I would have to mention two of them.  Haleigh Lane has been injured some this fall, but she's probably one of the hardest workers I've ever seen.  She's very determined and just a blue-collar athlete who goes and gets the job done.  Taylor Stevens works extremely hard both on and off the field.  She's in a difficult major and spends a lot of time studying, but just seeing what she is able to do on the field at the same time is unbelievable.  Both of them have made a big impact on me so far."

Why did you choose to come to South Alabama?
"The academic side and the athletic side are just a perfect combination.  With the medical programs that are offered here and a top-25 softball program, it's just an awesome combination.  You couldn't ask for anything more."

What are you majoring in here at South and what do you want to do with that degree?
"I haven't completely decided, but I'm either going into biomedical sciences and become a pharmacist or exercise science and become a physical therapist."

How long have you known that you wanted to go into one of those fields?
"Physical therapy is just something that has interested since you are able to work with athletes and others.  In sports you see a lot of injuries with your teammates and yourself, so you see them rehab.  As a pharmacist you work with a lot of different chemicals and that interest me; seeing how one drug can be so powerful or so detrimental to a person is incredible."

What type of player can fans expect to see out on the field when they watch you play?
"I think they will definitely see somebody who is a hard worker; I'm never going to give up and quit.  I'm always going to go at it and give it my best shot.  Even when I fail, I'm going to bounce back from that and keep going at it full force."

What is one interesting thing that Jaguar fans may not know about you?
"I played baseball until I was 13 and that I also pitched and threw a no-hitter in the Dixie Boys state tournament.  It was pretty cool."

What does it mean to you to be a Jaguar?
"It means that you have to take pride in your school and know that you are showcasing your school for others so that they will want to come here.   You're not only representing your college, but also your hometown, your parents and others.  Everything else beyond this point is so much bigger than that.  It's awesome to be able to wear South Alabama across your chest and know that of all the things you represent."

What is your favorite memory that you have had so far playing softball or baseball?
"I guess from playing baseball, I would say that it was just playing against the boys and competing with them.  It was awesome.  In softball, just being able to travel around the country and see the different parts of the country while being able to do something you love."

What do you like to do in your spare time?
"I definitely like spending time with my family.  I'm really family-oriented and they are really important to me.  They give me all the support in the world and I love to be there for them when they need support.  I also like being outdoors and fishing."

Who has been the most influential person in your life?
"Definitely my parents.  They've always been the back-bone of our family.  They're always there; they've provided so much more than I could ask for.  I'm so grateful for them and everything they've provided for me so far."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—